A Silver Commoner
by Deceptive Lies
Summary: Yuno knew that someone had to raise their hand to pick Asta for their squad. No one expected it to be Nozel. With Asta as a member of the Silver Eagles, everything changes.
1. Unpredictable Choices

Nozel was unsure to as why he was forced to come and spectate this monkey fest year after year. There was never anything new, never anything exciting, just a bunch of lowborn insects trying to foolishly prove that they're strong enough to become a Magic Knight. It was nauseating.

Yet he was a Magic Knight Captain, and it was his duty to be here for the examinations. So with a sigh, he held fast and watched with bored, uninterested eyes as each wanna be mage executed and demonstrated their weak little abilities.

It was finally time for the semi-interesting stage, the moment where each insect got to fight the other. At least with this portion of the exam, he got to witness these commoners getting beaten into the floor. It was still painfully boring though.

With two cool blue eyes on the arena, Nozel quickly examined the first two fighters. The first was tall, with an irritating laugh. He was a decent magic user, but not anything special. Nozel hazarded a guess that the only group to accept him would be a lower ranked one such as the Green Mantis.

The other boy was interesting though; in absolutely the worst way possible. He had no magical talent whatsoever, in fact, Nozel could feel even an ounce of mana! What that boy was doing here was anyone's guess…

The two were whispering something to each other, their voices too quiet to understand. Suddenly, they broke apart. A smirk rested on the face of the taller boy, while the shorter one, who was previously full of laughs, looked as though he would enjoy nothing more than to kill his friend on the spot. Huh. That was peculiar.

So then the battle began. The taller mage quickly moved, creating a defensive dome with attacking capabilities. _That shrimp of a commoner is going to be flattened._ And then something odd happened. A dark aura overtook the short one as he withdrew a long broadsword from his dirty illegible grimoire. The battle was over before it began, the sword ripping through the others magic, completely nullifying it.

Silence descended upon the arena. The winner was declared. More silence.

* * *

The rest of the battles concluded fairly quickly, although Nozel would be lying if he said that he actually payed any attention. He was much too busy watching the short non-magic user from earlier. The boy was leaning on a pillar, along with the kid who managed to surpass every other contender today. Perhaps they knew each other.

Nozel chuckled silently at the irony. The only two candidates who had managed to capture his attention were already aquatinted. But they were commoners. Worse actually, they were peasants. He couldn't dare to sully the great Silva name by offering a position to them.

Soon it was time for the choosing. More than 70 candidates went by without a single offer. The crowd looked worried. Good. This was not a laughing matter. Only the very best were accepted into the Magic Knights.

Candidate #164 was soon called. It was the taller one of the peasants, the one who showed great magical capability. To no ones surprise, every single Captain raised their hand. Even Nozel, albeit he did so begrudgingly. Also to no ones surprise, the kid chose Golden Dawn. The short untalented brat near him was nearly deafening with his cheers. It seems the two were closer than Nozel previously expected.

Candidate #165 was called next; the magic erasing kid. Not a single hand was raised.

Nozel's eyebrow twitched. He knew he shouldn't. The kid was a peasant. He was a commoner. HE HAD NO MAGIC.

But he was strong, if lugging around that humongous sword was any indication. And he was fast, as proved by the short skirmish. And he could do what no one else ever could; he could completely negate magical properties. No one would see it coming, hell, no one would see _him_ coming. His lack of mana meant that he couldn't be easily traced or found. He would be useful during missions. Combined with his friendship with the talented boy in the Golden Dawn, Nozel was sure he could inspire a sense of rivalry that would push the kid further into greatness. But he had no magic.

"No hands!"

The boy looked to be on the verge of tears, "No, it can't be." He whispered to himself pathetically.

Nozel was a traditional man. Nozel was a predictable man. After today, the latter was rendered moot.

For Nozel raised his hand.

* * *

Asta wanted to scream. He wanted to cry for joy. He wanted to yell at the top of his lungs. One look at his new Captain was enough to erase all traces of that.

The leader of the Silver Eagles might have had a stupid haircut, but he certainly seemed strong enough to kill him if it was ever mentioned. He stared down at Asta with an expressionless face, so Asta just beamed up at him in silence.

All around him, people were whispering incredulously. "How could that boy be picked for the Silver Eagles?" "That kid has no magic! How did this happen?" "Prince Nozel Silva must be mistaken."

Asta didn't let any of that bother him. He was used to people looking down on him. But the fact that his new Captain was a Prince was new, he certainly seemed arrogant enough to be a Royal. But Asta had to banish all those thoughts. This man gave him a spot on the Magic Knights. This man is helping him accomplish his dream. He owed him.

"Yuno. I told you we both would make it." Asta said to his adopted brother, a large grin spread across his face.

"I didn't doubt it for a second." Yuno replied.

* * *

Solid Silva couldn't believe his brother. The man he looked up to, the man he revered, just allowed a commoner to enter their midst. He was disappointed in Nozel. He had come to the examinations with his brother, excited to see his little sister fail completely. She didn't perform, however, so he was stuck watching all the other insects.

As Solid was leaving the colosseum, he was stopped by his Captain and brother. "Solid. I understand you have reservations about my choice-"

Solid cut him off with a laugh, "More than just reservations."  
"You will _**not**_ interrupt me again."

Solid, substantially subdued, bowed his head in submission, "My apologies Captain."

Nozel continued, "He's young, he's a commoner, and he has absolutely no magic. On the surface, he's a nightmare. However I believe he could be useful to us in the future."

In all his life, Solid has never known his elder brother to be wrong. If Nozel said this insect was worth it, then perhaps he does warrant some interest.

"However, like this, he is of no use." Nozel continued, "The boy needs to be trained. Not in combat, but in everything else. By the time we allow him on his first mission, he will have the grace of a Royal. I bequest this job to you, little brother. I do not want to be disappointed."

Solid barely contained his anger, "Of course, Captain."

Nozel nodded, "Good. The boy can't use magic, meaning he can't ride a broom. See to it that he is transported to the castle. It is up to you to get this boy in proper shape, so that he does not sully our name. It is best you start now."

Solid nodded in understanding, before leaving to look for his newest teammate. With a fist clenched in anger, Solid knew he couldn't go against his Captain. It didn't mean he was going to go easy on the boy.

* * *

Asta, finally having left the bathroom, was glad to see that his brother was still around. "Hey Yuno! Isn't it awesome! You're Golden, I'm Silver, it was meant to be."

Yuno shot him a smirk, "It does seem to be an interesting coincidence yes."

The lovely conversation was soon interrupted with the arrival of a Magic Knight. He was tall, his silver hair pulled into a braid and messy bangs slightly covering his eyes. He didn't look happy.

"You. Insect. Stop fraternizing with other kids and come here." The older man growled.

Asta looked around in confusion, before concluding that the weirdo was talking to him, "Me?"

"Tsk. Yes you! Do you see any other Silver Eagles around here? Follow me." He demanded, turning on his heel and walking away.

Asta said a quick goodbye to Yuno, before running to catch up with his new superior. "I'm Asta, from Haga Village. Nice to meet you!"

The elder growled once more, "I don't care who you are. I don't care what remote hick village you crawled out of. You're nothing but a little insect, who was lucky enough to somehow catch brothers attention."

Asta tilted his head, "Your brother?"  
"Yes you idiot. I am Prince Solid Silva, the second son of the esteemed Silva household. Captain Nozel is my elder brother."

"Ohhh, that makes sense. My brother is part of the Golden Dawn. Well, we're not really brothers, we-"

Solid quickly cut him off, "Like I said, I don't care. I am here to help transport you to our base. Captain made me in charge of you, much to my misfortune, which means that I'm responsible of you. As much as I despise this, your actions are now a reflection of me as well as my brother, who chose you to be on out squad."

Asta nodded, understanding the boys grievance, "But like you said, I'm a hick. No one would take me seriously anyways."  
"That's where I come in. By the time I'm through with you, no one would ever believe that you weren't born into Royalty."


	2. Welcome

"Uhhh… So our base is in the middle of a shopping district?" Asta asked, his face contorted in confusion.

Solid resisted the urge to bang his head against the nearest wall in frustration, "No you idiot. We are here to purchase some new clothes for you."

"But I already have clothes." Asta said, gesturing to the outfit that he was currently wearing.

Solid sneered, "I meant clothes that don't look like they belong to a commoner."

"But I _am_ a commoner."

"Not anymore. As much as I am _loathed_ to admit, you are a part of the Silver Eagles now, you have to look like it. I will not introduce you to our teammates while you still look like _that_." The Silva noble explained, walking with purpose towards a high-end clothing store.

"Well, you see, I don't really have the money to pay for brand new clothes. _Especially_ not clothes like this!" Asta exclaimed, looking at the price tags and expensive materials in amazement.

"I will pay for them myself. As I said before, you are now an extension of me, a representation I should say. I will not have you sully my or my brothers good name. Now hurry and try this on." The older mage said, thrusting a bundle of clothing into Asta's arms.

"THANKS!" Asta cried, practically skipping into the changing room.

Solid frowned in anger, he couldn't believe Nozel put him up to this. The kid, as loud as he still was, seemed more subdued in his presence. Compared to his exuberance during the exams, he seems almost calm. Perhaps it is due to the fact that the younger boy had realized the importance of decorum now that he is a Silver Eagle. Whatever his reason may be, Solid was grateful.

* * *

"Now _this_ is our base." Solid declared, gesturing to the building below, as he steered the large broom into a clearing.

Asta's eyes were wide open in wonder. A large silver and gray castle took up the entire field, its towers poking through the clouds. The walls glimmered in the moonlight, the silver glistening in glory. Surrounding the massive estate was a garden, with flowers of all sizes and colors. Asta couldn't believe his eyes, this was to be his home.

"Again. How will you introduce yourself?" Solid tested as he safely landed the broom.

"I am Asta of the Silver Eagles."

"Where do you come from?"

"My origins do not effect my abilities."

"Why don't you have any trace of mana?"

"A true mage has talents beyond magic, and secrets beyond the castle walls. It would be wise to remember that." Asta repeated the answers in a monotone. While he wasn't ecstatic about hiding his life, he knew it was imperative to surviving in the Silver Eagles. If the rest of the team was anything like Solid and the terrifying Captain Nozel, Asta needed all the help he can get.

Thinking this, he softly grasped the bottom of his tunic, amazed at the material. He never wore anything of this quality before. He wore black pants and a loose black tunic, open to show a small sliver of his built chest. On top was a black coat, long enough to end past his knees. The collar of the coat was silver, as well as the sleeve cuffs. He wore black boots with a bit of a heel in order to give him some height. His hair, to Solid insistence, was combed back, his head band tucked safely in his pocket. All in all, he looked rich, he looked noble, he looked handsome. He looked like a proper magic knight.

He tensed in anticipation, before following his senior through the large obsidian doors. It was time to meet his team.

* * *

The two encountered no one at first as they walked through the castle. Asia wasn't sure, but he had a feeling that Solid had purposefully made sure of that. Despite his suspicions, Asta kept quiet. It probably wouldn't do so well antagonizing the only man in the castle who could confirm that he was an actual Silver Eagle.

They walked up multiple flights of spiraling stairs, climbing higher and higher in the back left tower. Not for the first time today, Asta thanked all of the deities for his almost religious-like workout regiments, for he wasn't sure an average mage could possibly climb all of those stairs.

Now that he thought about it, Prince Solid had to be pretty fit as well to climb his high. Huh. Maybe all royals were forced to do some type of exercise. Most mages that he encountered during the exam cared little for physical achievement, instead letting their magic enhance their capabilities. It didn't seem to be the case for Solid. Damn. This ice cold bastard might actually be more powerful than he assumed.

Finally, they reached the top floor of the tower. As they walked through the wide hallway, Solid spoke, "There are four towers in our base. We are currently in Tower number 4. The castle is divided like this: the main building holds the common room, the dining room, as well as most of our training facilities. Most rooms you would require can be found in the main building, and they are accessible to all members. Tower 1 belongs to brother Nozel. It holds his office, his private training room, and his personal chambers. Tower 2 is divided amongst the top officers, meaning myself and my sister Nebra. Towers 3 and 4 hold the chambers for the rest of our teammates. And here is your room."

Solid gestured towards a black and silver door at the end of the hall, "We are currently on the top floor of Tower 4, with your room being placed last in the hall way."

Asta tilted hid head, "Why is that?"

Solid quickly shot a look of distaste at the boy, however, once he saw the open curiosity in the kids eyes, he changed his original retort. Solid had believed that the insect was being greedy, wanting a better room than one on the top floor in the back of the hall. However the commoner didn't look like he was disappointed, only curious as to why he was given this room and not another, more convenient one. Damn it. The kid was smarter than he thought.

"You don't have any magic. And your use of negating all magic is… admittedly useful. You're placed in the back because in an unlikely scenario where we are attacked, you would have the most time to recover. As you don't have magic, you're useless up front, and would most likely die if not given enough time to react. However with you in the back of the castle, not only do you have apt time to come and help, you are also in the position to surprise any enemies. Besides, outside of the royal family, you're probably the only one outside of the royal family who could climb all these stairs on a daily bases without feeling the drain of stamina." Solid said all of this with a grimace, as if each word that he spoke was personally burning him. But Nozel was clear, Solid had to do everything he could to help the boy develop the intelligence and decorum of a noble.

Asta nodded in understanding, "That makes sense."

With that, he pushed open the door to his room. The sight had the poor orphan almost in tears. His bedroom was vast, bigger than three churches put together! His bed was also huge, placed near the large window that overlooked the back gardens and gorgeous lake. It was the most beautiful sight Asta had ever seen.

Asta might only have known the boy for a few hours now, but he was sure Solid wouldn't appreciate the loud cheer and crying that had been his first instinct. So swallowing his cries, Asta placed a fist over his heart and gave a small bow: The Magic Knight bow of gratitude.

"I thank you for your kindness, Prince Solid. I will do my best to prove my worth to the Silver Eagles, and refrain from sullying the great Silva name."

Solids eyes widened a fraction, before a smirk grew on his face. Perhaps this kid wasn't totally untrainable. The noble copied the action of the boy before him, bowing down slightly to the same level, "As I should do my best to prove a great mentor for you. Welcome to the Silver Eagles, Asta"

* * *

Nebra relaxed on the edge of the balcony, staring at her younger brother with a critical eye. "I heard brother dearest put you in charge of the little commoner. Sometimes I do not know that goes on through our dear Captains head."

Solid smiled cruelly, "Nozel knows what he is doing dear sister. Besides, the little commoner is easier to train that we suspected."

The elder girl raised a brow, "Oh? Do not tell me you have taken a liking to the insect?"

Solids face contorted in disgust, "Don't be foolish. I merely stated that we should trust our elder brother, as we always have."

Nebra sighed. As many flaws as the Silva family has, the three eldest siblings would forever believe in one another. They were the only ones who they could fully trust, "You are right Solid. Perhaps brother Nozel had seen something in the young boy that we had failed to take notice of before."

"He is… powerful, sister. He has no magic to speak of, yet during the examination he moved with such _speed."_

"Then his speed and strength is completely his own physical power? Does the insect even have the discipline to train that hard?

"I'm not sure about discipline, but I can tell you one thing: the kid won't rest until he's made to be the Wizard King. Magic or not."


	3. The First Lessons

There were very few things that put Prince Solid Silva in a good mood. The idea of waking up his newest student at the crack of dawn just happened to be one of them. With an extremely rare smile, Solid walked up the mile long stretch of stairs in order to reach the room of the commoner Knight. He was beyond excited to see the irritated glare in the insects eyes should he be woken up with a gallon of water being dropped on his head. Solid was ecstatic.

Unfortunately, the second Silva son had forgotten to take into account Asta's ridiculous training schedule, so as he waltzed into the room, Solid was disappointed to find the young Knight already finishing his morning sit ups.

"1997! 1998! 1999! 2000!" With a final yell, Asta flipped up onto his feet, sending a large grin at his elder. "Hey Solid! Lovely morning isn't it?"

Solid's eye started to twitch as he resisted a face palm, "It's not even morning yet idiot."

Asta shrugged, instead turning his focus to the large jug of water that he was currently inhaling. "Say, what am I to do today? Any cool missions?" He asked, excited to get started.

Solid was quick and ruthless in crushing his hopes, "Not a chance. Remember what I said? You wont be doing a single mission until I'm sure that you can carry yourself properly. Until you're as distinguished as any noble, you won't be stepping a foot out of this castle."

Asta just smiled in response, "That means that I just have to try harder to prove that I'm worthy!"

Solids eye continued to twitch, "Well, maybe if you STOP SCREAMING, you will finally get started!"

Asta gulped, before meekly replying, "Hehe… Sorry…"

Solid gave into the urge. Facepalming, he quietly remarked, "This is going to be _long_ month."

* * *

Asta had never seen so much cutlery in his entire life. Why did anyone need four different forks for one meal, when they had perfectly good fingers instead? He supposed it was a rich people thing, they could afford the silver wear after all. In fact, Asta was starting to believe that these utensils in front of him were in fact, _real silver_. Holy hell, how does anybody afford this stuff?!

"This fork here is used for the appetizers. This one for the main dish, more specifically something of the meat variety. This one is for deserts- ARE YOU EVEN PAYING ATTENTION!?"

Asta gulped nervously, before nodding quickly, "Yes of course Solid! My… uh… thoughts just wondered a little."

Solid raised a silver brow, "Oh? And what, pray tell, is more important than learning how to be a noble? Or were you lying when you said that you wanted to be the Wizard King?"

"Of course I want to be Wizard King! I am so sorry Solid, I swear I will learn everything you have to teach me!" Asta exclaimed, leaning forward in anticipation.

Solid smirked, this kids enthusiasm was infectious, "Let's go back. We were discussing cutlery. Now this knife…"

The two spent the next hour of breakfast, which for some reason they ate alone, going over all types of table mannerisms. From the utensils, to polite conversation. "If I ask you to pass me a cup of tea, how would you proceed?"

Asta racked his brain, "Um, I would first pour the tea until it reached four-fifths of the way up, leaving space to place my fingers so that I don't get scalded, as well as so the tea doesn't accidentally spill out. Then I will pick up the cup using my index finger and thumb. I won't give it to my guest in hand, since he could get burned. Instead I'll place it directly across from him, using my pinky as a cushion before setting it down in order to minimize the noise, as well as the possibility of it spilling."

Solid leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smirk gracing his features, "Perhaps you aren't completely untrainable."

Asta's eyebrow twitched, "What's that supposed to mean!?"

* * *

"One two three, turn, one two three, turn, one two three, turn." Solid chanted, his eyes fixated on Asta's lithe form as he danced across the expansive ballroom.

"Uh… Hey Solid?" Asta asked, his arms outstretched as if he were holding onto a partner, his feet never halting in his solo waltz.

"Yes?" The Silva Prince replied, not once looking away from the younger boys feet.

"How come in the entire day we've been here, we haven't bumped into anyone?" Asta asked.

Solid sighed, "Our teammates are extraordinarily busy, they don't have much time to be social. Most of them are currently on missions. Others are resting, a few may be pursuing the castle. But it is a large castle, with many rooms to explore. It's rare to bump into anyone here."

"Huh. You know, that sounds pretty lonely."

"Nobility doesn't get lonely."

" _Everybody_ gets lonely."

"Perhaps this might come as a surprise for your commoner mind, but us nobles are far too busy for something as silly as companionship. If you wanted a chance to make friends, then perhaps you should have joined the Black Bulls." Solid sneered.

"Woah, no need to threaten. I'm just saying. Plus, I really like being part of the Silver Eagles. You're not as bad as I thought you know." Asta remarked candidly.

Solid narrowed his eyes, "If you are going to get sentimental: Don't. We are not friends. We will _never_ be friends. I am your mentor, nothing more."

Asta smiled knowingly, "Sure. If that's what you want to believe."

* * *

"I really don't see what swimming has to do with being a noble." Asta said, with a pointed look towards the expansive lake behind the castle. It was dusk, the sun was starting to set, and the two boys were decked out in matching silver and black swim trunks.

Solid groaned in exasperation, "Being a noble is a full time job. Swimming is all about grace, flexibility, poise. By learning how to swim efficiently and gracefully, one learns proper posture and dexterity."

"But I already _know_ how to swim." Asta explained.

"Really? Prove it. Give me two laps around the lake."

"Easy." Asta grinned. Like a cannonball, Asta shot into the water, swimming the lake twice in impressive speed.

Finishing his laps, he got out of the water to shoot a triumphant look at his mentor, "See? Easy."

Solid frowned, "You call _that_ proper swimming? All you did was thrash your arms and legs around, causing water to go everywhere!"

"Well… Yeah. That's how you swim."

"No. _This_ is how you swim." With a dive of smooth the water barely rippled, Solid entered the lake. Putting Asta's record to shame, Solid swam the lake twice, his arms moving perfectly in sync, gliding through the water with the ease of a fish. It looked surprisingly beautiful.

Exiting the lake, he grinned, "See the difference?"

Asta nodded mutely. Solid continued, "I want you to swim this lake 50 times every night, beginning as dusk. You will do this until I am confidant that you understand the true purpose of grace."

"SIR YES SIR!"

* * *

By dinner, Asta had completed his laps and had joined Solid in the grand dining hall. Not a word was spoken between them, as Solid watched with his keen silver colored eyes as the younger boy chose the proper utensils for each course.

When the meal was completed, and the servants had clean the table, Solid announced, "We are going out."

Asta perked up, "Do we have a mission?"

The Silva shot a glare, "No, stop asking that. We are going to a casino."

"A casino!? You mean the _esteemed_ son of House Silva is actually going to be found playing a poor fools game?" Asta cried incredulously.

Solid grimaced, "Of course not you idiot. I don't need to waste time with those foolish little bets. However, a lot of company and clientele prefer to meet at a poker table, and it is always best to know what you are doing before embarrassing yourself."

"So you're going to teach me how to play poker?"

"Yes Asta. I'm going to teach you how to play poker. Now hurry up, or I'll make you walk."

* * *

"Well that was fun!" Asta exclaimed as they exited the casino.

Behind him, a surprised Solid followed, "You just… how did… You literally just learned how to play the game, how did you win so much?"

Asta shrugged, his winning jingling loud in his pockets, "I don't know. Beginners luck?"

Solid mumbled quietly, his thoughts taking a different turn, "Perhaps…"

* * *

The moment they got home, Solid rushed over to his sisters chambers, "Nebra."

The elder girl was perusing through some documents, and welcomed the interruption, "Hello little brother. To what do I owe this visit?"

"The Commoner insect. He just beat Taikado in poker."

Nebra's eyes widened in surprise, "The poker champion, Taikado?"

"My reaction exactly." Solid responded, taking a seat on the edge of her bed.

Nebra quietly reflected, before commenting slowly, "This could come as some benefit to us little brother. How fast do you think you can turn him into a proper noble?"

"If I hasten my lessons, perhaps a month?"

Nebra nodded, "I will tell Brother Nozel of your discovery. Keep it quiet, we don't want the other teams catching wind of the prodigy we having under us. Many would kill to have such a cunning mind serving them."

Solid nodded, "I am aware, dearest sister. Make the preparations. I will do what I can to assist the commoner."

"Our Devision will be thrilled to have another member."

"As the Leader of the secret squad, it's up to you to make sure he's cut out for it."

Nebra waved her hand dismissively, "Once you're through training the runt, I'll personally make sure that he's ready for our most important sub-team. If he's to work directly under me, he needs to be ready."

Solid nodded, "I'll see to it."


	4. Damn Insect

Solid watched his student with a critical eye as he completed his mandated 50 laps across the lake. It had been a long three weeks, filled to the brim with gruesome tasks and tiresome events, however not once had Asta complained. Instead, the hick had shown great resolve, plowing through every task with a determination unlike any Solid had ever seen. It was remarkable. You know, for an insect.

The Silva prince leaned back on a tree, his legs stretched languidly as he read a mission file. God he missed taking missions. The last month had been filled with nobility training and etiquette lessons, allowing absolutely no time for Solid to partake in any missions or collect gold stars for their board. Really, for all intents and purposes Solid was nothing more than a glorified babysitter, not like anybody would ever say that to his face though.

Although he had to admit, there was a sense of accomplishment in tearing down all of the insects qualities, only to build them back up again. Asta, for all his countryside ways, proved to be a remarkable student, taking in all the information and establishing it into his daily routine.

Asta was still and idiot though.

Despite every piece of noble training that he seemed to understand, Asta still steadfastly held on to a ridiculous amount of commoner tendencies. Solid was just glad that the younger boy could at least hide some of his more hick like qualities until behind closed doors. The second Silva son had practically beaten into the boy the importance of keeping decorum in public, only tearing off the mask of nobility in private with those he trusted.

"AND 50!" Asta cried, leaping out of the lake enthusiastically and consequently splashing Solid.

The silver-haired noble felt his eye twitch as the droplets of water stuck to his cheek. "Asta…" He spoke slowly, predatory, "I'm going to kill you."

Asta sweat-dropped, nervously taking a few cautionary steps back as he held his palms in front of him in panic, "Now now Solid, it was an accident."

"An accident?" Solid asked incredulously, stalking towards his prey, "A noble doesn't _have_ accidents, or have we forgotten that already?"

Asta shook his head quickly, the droplets flying everywhere once more, "No no sir! I meant… uh… well…"

"Asta…" Solid's eye gleamed evilly, "Run."

Asta didn't hesitate for a second as he sprinted as far away from the psychotic prince as physically possible.

* * *

Solid sighed as he lounged on his sisters bed, his eyes never straying from the ceiling as he recounted the day, "After that annoyance, it was time for the political course."

Nebra interrupted her brother mid-story, "And how is the insect doing with his politics and geography course? Has he begun to pick up the information?"

Solid nodded, "He's learned a lot compared to when we first started. His knowledge on our kingdoms political climate is miles ahead from where it first was. He is even getting a grip on other noble families and their influence on the world."

Nebra nodded, "Perfect. Do you think he will be prepared by the party at the end of next week?"

Solid sighed deeply, "I had forgotten that our Silver Eagles social gala was so soon."

"A mere week away. It would be the perfect time to introduce the commoner to our fellow brethren," Nebra spoke calmly, eyeing her younger brother cautiously.

"He will be ready," Solid nodded, "There is no doubt in my mind that he will be virtually unrecognizable to the rest of the group, brother especially."

"Ah yes, Nozel's attendance is mandatory that night. As our Captain, it would be remiss if he wasn't there."

"All of our attendance is mandatory. The social is one of the few times a year that all of the Silver Eagles are in the same room. Asta couldn't miss the dinner even if I wanted him too," Solid muttered.

"Asta?" Nebra questioned, "Since when have you been so friendly with the insect that you refer to him by name?"

Solid winced, "A mere slip of the tongue, sister. I assure you."

"Make sure that it does not happen again," Nebra commanded, "However I _do_ look forward to meeting him. If he is to join my division, then we must become well aquatinted with one another."

"He will certainly be ready by the social. Once I'm through with him, you would never believe that he wasn't raised as a part of nobility."

* * *

Balancing a libraries worth of books on his head, Asta made sure to keep his posture straight as he waltzed throughout the ballroom with an imaginary partner, "Wait, a social?!"

Solid scowled, "Concentrate on your form! And yes, a social. The Silver Eagles make sure to have a social at least once a season. It gives us an opportunity to all come together and catch up on ongoing missions. And it is quite important for us to all know each other fairly well, after all the best teamwork come from those who are well acquainted with one another."

Asta hummed in agreement, "Okay, I guess that makes sense. So what should I be expecting?"

Solid withheld the urge to give a triumphant smile. Over the course of the last few weeks, he had beaten into the boy the importance of thinking things through, asking questions and formulating thoughts before acting. The Asta of three weeks ago would have given no thought to the social; not the dress code, nor the proper conversational topics.

"It is a large dinner held in the main dining room, where we sit in accordance to status," Solid explained, "We are served a five-course meal, ending with tea and various finger food, allowing us time to socialize without being distracted by the myriad of meals."

Asta tilted his head in thought, "So you will be sitting up front with Captain and your sister, while I'm probably going to be situated at the opposite end of the table since I have not made a single contribution to the team."

Solid grinned evilly, "That's right."

With a deep sigh, Asta continued, "Considering this is a seasonal social restricted to active members of the team, should I assume that most of the conversation will revolve around boasting _nobles_ lamenting how many stars they have accumulated for our _prestigious_ team?" The hicks tone was practically dripping with sarcasm.

Solid narrowed his eyes as he carefully watched Asta's graceful steps, "We _are_ a prestigious team you backwater hick, so stop saying it sarcastically. As for the conversational topics, yes you are mostly correct."

"Then what could a poor commoner like me, who has never even been allowed outside the castle without strict supervision from you, contribute?" Asta questioned, his posture and waltz never once breaking despite the sweat that littered his brow.

 _This kids tenacity is ridiculous,_ Solid couldn't help but think to himself as he watched Asta perform the same choreographed dance he had been running through for the last three hours.

"What should it matter to me?" Solid shrugged in response, "Just don't embarrass our team. It has already gone around our ranks that brother has recruited a commoner hick without a drop of magical ability. The only reason our team has kept decorum is due to our families heavy influence both within, and out of the team. If you were to not exceed every expectation, then it will all eventually fall onto brother and the great Silva name."

Asta rolled his eyes, "Yeah yeah yeah, I know this. I won't do anything to insult your precious nobles."

"Although," Solid began tentatively, "One of the most important factors in having a successful squad relies of great teamwork. This is heavily impacted by camaraderie, which, if one truly thinks about it, consists of a small degree of friendly jesting…"

The sheer shock that reverberated through Asta almost caused him to lose balance and fall flat on his face, before reflexively pivoting and continuing the dance with only the slightest bit of hesitation, "Did you just… give me _permission_ to insult the fussy little nobles?"

Solid quickly sneered, "Watch who you're talking to insect."

"My apologies _great_ and _esteemed_ Prince Silva, my poor lowly self has yet to properly learn decorum," Asta couldn't have sounded more sarcastic if he tried, "But seriously, did you?"

Solid huffed, crossing his arms in irritation. The sheer nerve of this little fly, "I'm not giving you permission to insult nobles, I'm only highlighting the importance of making allies within your own squad."

"I thought nobles didn't need friends?" Asta taunted, throwing Solid's previous words back at him.

Solid pinched the bridge of his nose, this peasant was going to be the one to drive him to the brink of insanity, he just knew it, "They don't. What they need, however, are allies. Thus far, your only Magic Knight ally, aside from my esteemed self, is the hick from Golden Dawn."

"That's my brother Yuno! We were both raised in the church together-"

"I know," Solid interrupted before Asta could go on another rant on his life in Haga. That would only lead to him waxing poetry about the _beautiful_ Sister Lilly and honestly Solid didn't know if he could contain his homicidal rage if he were to have to listen to another haiku regarding the splendor of her sheer majesty.

Asta narrowed his eyes, "If you know his name, then why don't you use it?"

Solid scoffed, "As if I would deign to refer to a mere hick by their name, I have more important things to remember."

"In accordance to your lessons, isn't it improper to fail to refer to a person by their given name, less you insult the opposing party?"

"Commoners don't count, that rule is in regards to nobles and other parties of import."

"Yet, in accordance to your lessons, aren't all Magic Knights automatically given titles of import for they hold a prestigious position within society? Especially for squads as _esteemed_ as the Silver Eagles and the equally astonishing Golden Dawn?" Asta questioned innocently.

Solids eye ticked in absolute irritation. This. _This_ the damn insect chose to actually pay attention to?! "Perhaps," Solid admitted through gritted teeth.

With a grin, Asta continued, "Then doesn't public decorum and your own pride as an esteemed noble compel you to refer to both Yuno and I by name?"

Once Solids anger had washed away, much further in the day, he would reflect on this exchange with no small amount of pride that his pupil had picked up his lessons so thoroughly as to outwit his own teacher. That was later in the day however. At this particular moment in time, it was with a heavy heart and a red face that Solid spat out, "Why of course… _Asta_."

Asta's blinding grin was answer enough. Damn cheeky insect.

* * *

On the other side of the Capital, a large, oddly shaped dark castle stood amidst a forest of high trees. At the very top of the irregular building was an expansive terrace, where a lone, silver haired figure stood in brooding contemplation. Noelle Silva had been reduced to this; a pathetic excuse of a Magic Knight on the worst squadron of them all.

In all honesty, the Black Bulls weren't too bad. Rowdy, certainly. Incredibly annoying, without a doubt. However they had no ill intent or malicious thoughts towards her, unlike a certain sibling of hers.

All three of her elder siblings despised her, the blame of their mothers death being deftly tossed onto her shoulders. While Nozel was outwardly cold and dismissive, Nebra menacing and viciously articulate with her insults, Solid was flat-out psychotic. He had tortured her endlessly throughout their entire childhood, his torment unyielding as he derived great joy from watching the stream of tears that eventually poured from her ice blue eyes.

If there were anyone in the world that Noelle truly feared in the world, it was Solid Silva.

* * *

Meanwhile, Solid was in the midst of assisting Asta translate the books in the library from Ancient Tongue to Common Tongue.

"Hey Solid," Asta hesitantly called out to the elder boy.

"Hmm?" Solid absentmindedly answered as he was reading a particularly interesting passage on foreign affairs.

"You know, you're not so bad."

Solid finally drew his eyes from his book to land his gaze on Asta's embarrassed form.

"When I first joined," Asta continued, "I was afraid you would be unbearable. But, you know, you're pretty nice deep down. _Deep_ down. Like so far deep down you need to swim endlessly under the trenches to find it. But nice, nonetheless."

It took every bit of nobility training in his body for Solid to hide his sheer level of shock. Never in his eighteen years of life had he ever been refereed to as _nice._ Awful, yes. Powerful, granted. Evil, certainly. Psychotic, quite a few times. Never nice. The damn insect was more idiotic than he thought.

Instead, Solid placed his usual sneer across his features, "Oh? Then perhaps I've been too lenient on you. From now on we'll double your work load!"

Silence. "WHAT?!"

There. That should teach the insect. Solid Silva was _anything_ but nice.


End file.
